Blythe grinned, satisfied with the agreement.
"Alright, math genius. When do we start?" she asked, clasping her hands together like she had just won a prize.
Caesar sighed. Why did I even agree to this?
"After school. Library," he replied curtly, adjusting his bag strap.
"Got it! See you later, Mr. Top Student!" she teased, giving him a playful salute before skipping away.
Caesar shook his head, already regretting his decision.
---
The day dragged on, and Caesar kept to himself, as always. He answered when needed, took notes, and avoided unnecessary interactions. That was how he preferred it.
But despite his usual routine, his mind kept replaying Blythe's words.
"Low-key cute too."
He groaned inwardly. Why did she even say that? Was she joking? Messing with me?
As soon as the final bell rang, he waited for the classroom to clear before heading toward the library. The moment he stepped inside, he sighed in relief. The quiet, the stillness—it was his kind of place.
He settled at a table near the back, pulled out his notebook, and started solving equations.
Minutes passed. Then, nearly half an hour.
Did she forget?
That would be great.
But just as he was about to pack up, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Found you!"
Caesar flinched.
Blythe plopped down in the chair across from him, looking way too excited for a tutoring session.
"You're late," he muttered, not looking up.
"Fashionably," she corrected with a grin.
He rolled his eyes and slid a textbook toward her. "Let's just start."
---
At first, tutoring Blythe was as painful as Caesar expected. She was easily distracted, constantly tapping her pen, doodling in the margins, or asking completely unrelated questions.
"Do you always sit alone?" she asked suddenly, breaking the flow of his explanation.
Caesar blinked, caught off guard.
"What does that have to do with solving quadratic equations?" he deadpanned.
Blythe leaned on her elbow, looking genuinely curious. "Just wondering. You're always alone. Even at lunch."
He frowned. "And?"
"And… don't you get lonely?"
Caesar hesitated.
Lonely? He never really thought about it. He enjoyed his own space. The quiet. The predictability of being alone.
"No," he answered simply.
Blythe studied him for a moment before smiling. "Huh. Must be nice."
Her tone was different—lighter, but with a hint of something else. Something… unreadable.
Caesar didn't press. He just returned to the textbook.
"Focus. Page 76. Let's go."
Blythe laughed. "Alright, alright, bossy."
---
An hour later, Blythe stretched her arms above her head.
"Whew! My brain is fried. But I think I actually get it now. You're a pretty good teacher, Caesar."
"Obviously," he muttered, shutting his book.
Blythe giggled. "So humble."
She stood up, grabbing her bag.
"Welp, time to go buy those five books."
Caesar had honestly expected her to back out, but to his surprise, she didn't even hesitate.
They walked to the bookstore together—though "together" was a strong word. Caesar kept a slight distance, hands in his pockets, while Blythe chatted about random things.
"You know, I never actually asked—why do you need so many math books? Isn't one enough?"
"Backup," Caesar answered simply.
"Backup? What, are you preparing for the apocalypse or something?" she joked.
Caesar shrugged. "Knowledge is power."
Blythe gave him an exaggerated look. "You really are a nerd."
Caesar smirked slightly. "And yet, you needed my help."
Blythe laughed. "Touché."
Once they arrived at the bookstore, Blythe let out a dramatic sigh.
"Alright, let's get this over with. Five math books. My wallet is crying."
Caesar scanned the shelves, picking out the specific editions he wanted. He handled books with care, flipping through pages, checking for any printing errors. Blythe, on the other hand, just watched him like he was a rare species.
"You're really into this, huh?"
"Obviously," he replied without looking up.
"I don't think I've ever seen someone get this excited over textbooks," she said, shaking her head.
After paying, Blythe handed over the books. "Here, Mr. Genius. Hope this knowledge makes you even nerdier."
"It will," he replied without missing a beat.
As they stepped outside, the evening sky had darkened. The cool air was refreshing, and for a moment, they just walked in silence.
Then, Blythe spoke.
"Hey, Caesar."
He glanced at her.
"I think we should do this again."
He stopped in his tracks. "Do what?"
She turned to face him, grinning. "Hang out."
Caesar narrowed his eyes. "This wasn't hanging out. This was tutoring."
"Same thing," she said with a shrug. "So, what do you say?"
Every introverted instinct in Caesar's body screamed NO.
But for some reason… he hesitated.
Blythe raised an eyebrow, waiting.
Caesar sighed, adjusting the books in his arms. "We'll see."
Blythe beamed. "I'll take that as a yes."
Before he could correct her, she was already walking ahead.
Caesar stood there for a moment, watching her.
What just happened?
---
To Be Continued...